Karin u Raymond

Oliver Friggieri poetry inspired by two political murders which had a major impact on Malta's recent past. From MaltaGirl's Diverse ramblings who also translates into English:

Maltese poet Oliver Friggieri wrote a poem called "Karin u Raymond" (Karin and Raymond) and I remember it because it was one of the poems in the poetry book Qawsalla which I had to study for my Maltese O-Level. While I didn't particularly enjoy studying Maltese poetry (especially since I didn't understand half the words) I remember this one because our teacher explained the history behind it. In it Friggieri is speaking as though Karin and Raymond were offering their perspective (and that their deaths in a sense "married" them), and I think that the last stanza is a good one to bear in mind -

Hemm kmandament li tnissel miz-zwieg taghna
biex dawn id-dmija mxerrda ma jinhlewx,
ktibnieh bid-demm, tghallmuh w ghallmuh 'l uliedkom;
il-kmandament ta' ghada: "La tinsewx".

There is a commandment that has come out of our marriages
o that this shed blood will not be wasted,
we wrote it in blood, learn it and teach it to your children;
tomorrow's commandment: "Do not forget".

Oliver Friggieri - a profile